Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-21

| $3.50, ciSayreeaOIe, sOroid, mean aI,u
| grinding. 1t extinguishes aspirations for
! higher things; it exhausts the capacity
/ for enjoyment; it makes an abject slave
/ of free man. And yet we are told, ad
nauseam, of the dignity Of labor. Labor
| is only means to an end. 1t Is a period
OF probation, to be followed at some time,
as we all hope, by rest.
! There may be, and often IS, much dig
nifty, much elevation of character, In the
man or woman who labors: but this is not
because of his or her labor, but In spite of
It, a human soul will shine through any
disguise, and true nobility Of character
will reveal itself under the most adverse
circumstances: but to say that one pos
sessing those qualities has them multi
piled or intensified by labor is to say that
lovely landscape would be made more
beautiful by being viewed through
smoked glass, or that fair woman ~
more fair in rags and tatters than In silk
or satin.
LEARN To REST
But since toll is the destiny Of the hu-
man race, a destiny as memorable as tate
itself, is 1t not the part of wisdom TO seek
10 alleviate our condition by every means
in our power; Though we are her1med
in by the iron walls Of necessity, nothing
presel~s us from making our imprison-
ment as endurable as possible, and to do
this we must cultivate the capacity for re-
pose We must learn 10 rest as well US
to toll. We must pecom> impressed with
the absolute necessity for cessation from
labor and the urgent demand Of piind and
body for recuperation.
Activity Of any kind can reach its most
successful results only when 1t Is alter
mated by sufficient periods Of rest. and the
capacity for repose must be developed IN
every man if his best possibilities are ever
to be realized Modern science has suif.-
GENTLY demonstrated this so far as merely
physical culture is concerned Not only
Is the imperative necessity for sleep uni
versauy acknowledged, but il IL also con
ceded by all students Of human eDerg,
that at least one day In seven should be
kept as a day of rest for the body. and thf.
independent Of any religious considers-
lions. Many and careful observations
have been made on this question. and
their result amounts to an actual demon
stration that no man OF set Of men can
work effectively more than six -sevenths Of
the time, and that any atternp, 70 run the
human machine beyond this limit means
its destruction.
STRAINED III STUDY
Mental vigor is equally dependent upon 1
the harmonious relations Of activity aud |
rePose, and Ignorance Of this most i'm
poTtaDt fact IS defect in every modern
system Of education. The constant ten
dency q the age Is towards too rapid de-
yeloprneai Of the mental powers and
towards reaching TIE goal TOO soon. TIE
pDgE RS # thought are often strained too |
,euseiy for thetr ofsn good, study l. made
too cOltsL uOus and 100 monotono1.s. and
for the wearie6 brain Ia 100
little Fr7died or considered. i
But how coEl1 i ke otherwise, Teach
r. ard leaders have never been taught To
est How, then. can they teach othe-s,
I neg are constantly urged forward ~ tie
'ressure q pablo opinion 70 perform. or
.'teulpt 70 perform rAiracles- They are
expected 70 put so urgrh into child. 10
natter whether the child is capable Of
etaiulrg i 81 not Their positions often
epersd bot on whs. they have lAugh, tae
nllar1l 90 pupils under their chArxe. but |
ig,on hoS Izuch Il TIE curriculum they
ave gore ihrougb IA q given tixoe--tn |
kogt, they are expected 20 sucoe~zfrI.v
manage The machinery OF the Procruszeac
ed, and make the pupils q. tie Ies1osss.
hi nof the lesson the rsapss.
The Roman philosophers MARIN. su,-
ina iezli<-haztsn s,owiy-s too ofs<n
q 80: -=-.sssa - q - --As